William Gladstone (1809-1898) was a liberal politician who served as British prime minister four times and battled against Benjamin Disraeli throughout his career.
In background and personality, Gladstone was the opposite of Disraeli. Compared to the rebellious Disraeli, Gladstone was practically a straight-A student as a young man, and while Gladstone was an excellent speaker, he wasn't considered very friendly or sociable. Disraeli could easily charm Queen Victoria, but she thought that Gladstone was a grumpy, unpleasant person to be around. Gladstone's hobbies included cutting down trees and wandering the streets of London trying to convince prostitutes to change their way of life.
The two men also differed in their political outlook. During the 19th century, liberalism consisted of right-wing views, and Gladstone the liberal believed in low taxes, free trade, and little government assistance or interference in people's lives. In 1869, an unemployed coal miner wrote to William Gladstone when he was Prime Minister and asked him to do something that would help miners find more jobs with higher pay. Gladstone's reply was the following:
"The only means which have been placed in my power of ‘raising the wages of colliers’ has been by endeavouring to beat down all those restrictions upon trade which tend to reduce the price to be obtained for the product of their labour, & to lower as much as may be the taxes on the commodities which they may require for use or for consumption."
In other words, Gladstone didn't think he could help the man personally. He said instead that he would try lowering taxes on the products that the man had to buy, as well as making coal a more appealing product in the marketplace, so that (theoretically) more coal mines would open for business. Like many wealthy Victorians, Gladstone blamed poverty and unemployment on left-wing policies like taxes on the rich.
How much do you know about William Gladstone? Use the questions below to find out.
How did William Gladstone's upbringing compare to Benjamin Disraeli's?
- They were both rebellious students.
- Both lost their parents at a young age.
- Gladstone led a more traditional and socially acceptable lifestyle.
- Disraeli was more obedient and deferential to his elders.
Gladstone was the opposite of Disraeli in most ways; for example, he was a model student.
Gladstone was the opposite of Disraeli in most ways; for example, he was a model student.
Gladstone was the opposite of Disraeli in most ways; for example, he was a model student.
Gladstone was the opposite of Disraeli in most ways; for example, he was a model student.
What was Gladstone's plan for helping struggling members of the working class?
- raising wages
- lowering taxes
- providing government assistance
- restricting trade
Gladstone was a liberal, and therefore he believed that the working classes would benefit more from a prosperous, laissez faire economy than from government assistance.
Gladstone was a liberal, and therefore he believed that the working classes would benefit more from a prosperous, laissez faire economy than from government assistance.
Gladstone was a liberal, and therefore he believed that the working classes would benefit more from a prosperous, laissez faire economy than from government assistance.
Gladstone was a liberal, and therefore he believed that the working classes would benefit more from a prosperous, laissez faire economy than from government assistance.
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